主題：為甚麼我們看不到神蹟
這個主日的福音是上一個星期的「五餅二魚」神蹟的延續。在默想福音的教訓之前，讓我們澄清一些經文的背景。今天的故事，發生在「五餅二魚」神蹟的翌日。大家還記得「五餅二魚」神蹟的結局嗎？群眾對神蹟作出甚麼反應？對，他們想擁立耶穌為王。耶穌的反應呢？因為時辰未到，所以耶穌退入山中，避開群眾。上山前，耶穌吩咐門徒乘船返回對岸，但因為逆風，三更時分，門徒的船仍與風浪搏鬥。就在這時，耶穌步行水面，來到船上。然後風平浪靜，來到對岸。耶穌和門徒終於可以休息了。
首先，今天這一班群眾是五千人的一部份，他們可能在現場的外圍，祗知道有餅吃和這些餅是從耶穌來的，所以他們可能有份擁耶穌為王，但他們不知道他們所吃的餅是從五個餅增加出來的，或者是來自一個無私的兒童。就憑這一點，足以推翻部份人的錯誤意見，他們認為「五餅二魚」不是一個神蹟，祗是全場五千人被一個兒童的慷慨所感動而已。試想像在六四維園集會，在某角落有個小朋友見坐在旁邊的巴士車長大叔餓了，請他吃個雞尾包。全場的人會不會知道，知道了會不會受感動，拿出自己的雞尾包與身邊的人分享？所以讀聖經不能斷章取義，穿鑿附會。讀過了今天的福音就會知道，現場有些人祗是吃飽了餅，而不知道發生了神蹟。
為甚麼在他們的心目中，「五餅二魚」不算是神蹟呢？其實應該這樣說，行「五餅二魚」神蹟不足以表示耶穌是默西亞。那麼，他們對默西亞有甚麼要求呢？
請問他們犯了甚麼邏輯上的錯誤呢？對，老竇有鬚，但有鬚的不一定是老竇。猶太群眾不但邏輯錯，連內容一樣錯。耶穌糾正他們，不是梅瑟，而是天父從天降下瑪納，養活六十萬在曠野流浪了四十年的以色列人。可惜，就是這種錯誤的思想，這種偏見，成見障礙了他們看不到神蹟。他們自己定下規矩，要求天主按他們的規定行事。他們不是試探天主是甚麼？而我們又怎樣呢？我們有沒有犯上同樣的毛病，試探天主，要求天主按我們的理想行事呢？
很多沒有信仰的朋友，會挑戰一些教友說，「如果天主現在就顯現給我見到，我就立刻領洗入教。否則，不要浪費大家的時間。」其實，他們在試探天主，我們奉陪嗎？有病當然要看醫生，但當藥石無靈的時候，我是要求天主醫好我們的病，或者減輕我們和家人的痛苦，抑或是求天主賜給我們恩寵，克勝病苦的煎熬呢？創世紀告訴我們，人是按天主肖像所造。可惜我們把標籤加諸別人的身上，我們是香港人，他們是大陸人；這些是建制派，那些是泛民；這個情緒有問題的人，那個是露宿者，這個是釋囚，那個是隱閉青年…我們能否從新在他們身上看到天主的肖像呢？我們能否看到他們身上的耶穌基督呢？
大自然的力量令人讚嘆，但不是神蹟。地震海潚亦不是天主的懲罰。神蹟之所以是神蹟，並不一定要分開紅海，或者令太陽在天空飛舞幾分鐘。神蹟可以是日常生活中一個指向天主，指向耶穌的事，而且是能夠幫助我們轉向天主，轉向耶穌的事。且看五餅二魚的神蹟。不是前無去路後有追兵那麼生死關頭，祗不過一些有關飲食的平凡事。不是滿地瑪納，或整個平原都是鵪鶉那麼壯觀，祗不過是五個餅二條魚而已。但五餅二魚是一個有關創造神蹟的故事。對，是創造神蹟。天主把創造神蹟的條件交到我們手中，祗等我們運用。且看門徒把微不足道的五餅二魚交託到耶穌基督手中，神蹟就出現了。
今天，當我們遇到難關的時候，我們不但可以看到神蹟，我們甚至可以創造神蹟。我們在生活中可以把微不足道的交託到耶穌手中，祂就會創造神蹟。問題是，我們在生活中如何可以找到耶穌呢？這是大家要做的功課，就是放下成見，偏見和錯誤的思想了。
天主保祐。
接著，就是這些群眾來找耶穌，問他甚麼時候來到。耶穌的答案好像斐理伯的答案一樣，都是答非所問的。但耶穌的答案卻是直指人心的。耶穌在群眾未道明來意之前，已識透了他們的企圖。所以耶穌纔作出福音所記載的答案。很奇怪，群眾不是在一日之前有份見証過「五餅二魚」神蹟嗎？為甚麼耶穌說他們不是因為看見了神蹟，而是吃餅吃飽了而來找他？耶穌的答案應怎樣去理解呢？其實，耶穌的答案要從兩方面去理解。
另一個解釋是這批群眾在耶穌行神蹟時的附近，他們親眼看到整個過程，看見了耶穌增餅、並且吃了從五個餅所增加出來的餅。但是他們不覺得是一個神蹟！不要奇怪他們有這種反應。其實大部份人，包括我們在內，都患有這種「視而不見」的毛病，而這種毛病的後果是十分嚴重的。正正因為這個毛病，所以群眾就要求耶穌再行神蹟，行一個來自天上的神蹟。
默西亞是「受傅者」的意思，即是天主派來拯救解放整個以色列民族的一個人。梅瑟把以色列子民從埃及解放出來，他是第一個默西亞。後來，猶太人亡國充軍巴比倫，而波斯王居魯士滅了巴比倫帝國，釋放充軍的猶太人回國。雖然是個外邦人，依撒意亞先知仍然稱波斯王居魯士為默西亞（依45）。耶穌時代，猶大淪為羅馬帝國的殖民地。猶太人期望默西亞出現解放他們。雖然耶穌曾治病、驅魔和增餅，但他仍要通過一個終極測試，就是顯示一個來自天上的神蹟。為甚麼要用「行一個來自天上的神蹟」來辨別真偽呢？因為第一個默西亞梅瑟，能從天上降下瑪納。所以，能顯示一個來自天上的神蹟的人，就是默西亞了。這是歷代經師和法學士的教導，已經深入民心。
Eighteenth Ordinary Sunday (Year B)
Theme: Why don’t we see miracles?
The gospel reading today follows the five loaves and two fish miracle last week. Before we meditate on its teaching, let us clarify the background. The story today happened on the next day of the miracle. Do you still remember how the miracle ended? What was the reaction of the multitude? Yes, they wanted to make Jesus king. How did Jesus respond? Since the time had not yet ripen, Jesus withdrew to the mountain to evade the crowd. Before he went, he told the disciples to cross the sea to the other side of the lake. However, they were rowing against the wind and at the third watch, while the disciples were still struggling, Jesus walked on the water to come over to them on the boat. Then the sea calmed down and they reached their destination. At long last, they could take a rest they had intended.
Firstly, this crowd was a part of the 5000 multitude. They were probably on the fringes of “ground zero”. They only knew that there were loaves which came from Jesus. Probably, they were part of the multitude which wanted to make Jesus king. But they did not know that the loaves came from five loaves or from an altruistic boy. By this, we can refute a wrong opinion held by some people who think that the five loaves two fish incident was not a miracle. It was only an edifying story in which the 5000 multitude was touched by the altruism of the boy. Imagine an annual June Fourth vigil gathering at the Victoria Park. At one corner, a boy saw that the bus drive uncle sitting next to him was hungry and gave him a bun. Would the whole assembly know this and even if they had known this, would they have been so moved that each one would take out their buns and share them with their neighbour? Once again, we cannot read a piece of text out of context and conjure up our own rationalization. After reading the gospel today, we can safely conclude that some people on the spot had only eaten the loaves but did not know that it was a miracle.
Why did they not count the five loaves two fish incident a miracle? To be exact, why wasn’t the miracle convincing enough to show that Jesus was the Messiah? So, what did they expect of the Messiah?
What logical fallacy did they commit? Yes, my father is bearded but not all bearded men can be my father. The Jews were not only logically wrong, but the content of their argument was also wrong. Jesus corrected them. It was not Moses but the heavenly Father who rained down manna to feed six hundred thousand Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. Unfortunately, the wrong concept, prejudice and stereotyping had prevented them from seeing miracles. They set up rules and demanded God to follow their rules. If this is not putting God to the test, what is? What about us? Do we make the same mistake, putting God to the test, demanding God to follow our wishes?
Many non-believers would challenge us, “If God appears in front of me now, I will immediately receive baptism and become a Catholic. Otherwise, don’t waste our time.” In fact, they are putting God to the test. Shall we follow them? When we are sick, we consult physicians. But when no further medication and treatment can improve our health, shall we pray God to remove our sickness, to relieve us our pains and the pains of our family members? Or shall we pray for the strength to overcome the suffering? Genesis says that men were created in the image and likeness of God. However, we label people. We are Hongkongers and they are mainlanders; these are pro-establishment and those pan-democrats; this man is emotionally unstable and that is a homeless; this is a discharged prisoner and that is a hidden teen... Can we take a new look to rediscover the image of God in them? Can we see Jesus Christ in them?
The power of the elements is awesome but it is not miracle. Earthquakes and tsunami are not punishments of God. A miracle needs not be dividing the Red Sea, or making the sun dance for a few minutes to be a miracle. A miracle is anything in our daily life that points to God, points to Jesus Christ and makes us turn to God, turn to Jesus. Take a look at the five loaves and 2 fish incident. It was not a life and death incident but an ordinary catering incident. It was not as spectacular as manna and quails covering the whole plain. There were only 5 loaves and 2 fish. But the incident is a story about making miracles. Yes, making miracles. God has put all the necessary ingredients in our hands for us to deploy. See how the disciples lay the five loaves and two fish in front of Jesus and a miracle followed.
Today, when we meet difficulties, not only can we see miracles, but we can also create miracles. We lay before Jesus the insignificant things and he will work miracles. The problem is, can we see Jesus in our life? This is our homework. That is to put down our stereotyping, prejudice and wrong concepts.
Then, this crowd came to fetch Jesus, asking him when he had come. Jesus’ reply, like that of Philip last week, did not answer their question. But Jesus’ reply pointed directly at their hearts. Before the crowd spoke, Jesus had already revealed their intention. That was why Jesus replied in such an unexpected way. Hadn’t the crowd witnessed the five loaves two fish miracle the day before? Why did Jesus say that they sought him not because they had seen signs, but because they had eaten their fill of the loaves? How should we understand Jesus’ statement? Indeed, we can understand it in two different ways.
Perhaps this crowd was near enough to see Jesus in action. They saw the whole process of multiplication of loaves and had eaten the multiplied loaves. But they did not deem it a miracle! Don’t be surprised by their reaction. Indeed, many people, including us, suffer from such ‘blindness’. The consequences of this blindness are serious. And it was this blindness which made the crowd demand Jesus to give them a sign from heaven.
Messiah means the Anointed One, who is sent by God to deliver the Israelites. Moses delivered the Israelites from the bondage in Egypt and thus was the first Messiah. Later, when the Jews were conquered and exiled to Babylon, the Persian king Cyrus conquered the Babylonian Empire and sent the Jews back to Palestine. Isaiah called Cyrus the Messiah (Isaiah 45). In Jesus’ time, Judah had become a Roman colony. The Jews expected a Messiah to liberate them. Although Jesus was able to cure diseases, exorcize and multiply bread, he still had to undergo the ultimate test, to work a miracle from heaven. Why did the Jews set “working a sign from heaven” as a criterion? It was because the first Messiah Moses had rained down manna from heaven. Therefore, whoever could work a miracle from heaven must be a Messiah. The scribes and teachers of the Law had taught so for generations. It was ingrained in their psyche.
God bless.
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